A couple of questions on the new Mercedes CLA...
The question
1. What's the business model of the Mercedes-Benz CLA's built-in charging app? Is it more expensive than using e.g. Ionity directly?
2. What about the Mobilo Road Assistance? Is it really free of charge?
Asked by Mikko Kaarela ·
Expert answer
Hi Mikko,
1 - It's a convenience thing from the point of view of the end user, but no doubt Mercedes also makes money from the service as it comes with a subscription fee. The per kWh rate varies so it's not easy to definitively say that it's always more expensive than using the supplier directly. A quick glance at Ionity's fees suggests it is sometimes for sure, but then again, each charging operator has a subscription service of its own you'd need to check against.
2 - The Mercedes roadside assistance service is included in the price of new Mercedes for a set number of years only and then it only is renewed if you service your car at a Mercedes retailer. But you don't pay extra for it as such.
Answered by Shane O' Donoghue